TIF District Information

The Village has established three redevelopment districts in an effort to promote orderly redevelopment and to attract new investment along the Waukegan Road corridor, in the area surrounding the Metra commuter rail station at Lehigh & Ferris Avenues, and adjacent to the Dempster Street and Waukegan Road intersection.

These districts were created in accordance with Illinois state law regarding the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Don’t know what TIF is? Click here to learn more.

Waukegan Road TIF District
The Waukegan Road Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment District was created in 1995 and is intended to encourage redevelopment and improvement of the Waukegan Road commercial corridor. The District will expire in 2017. Click here to see a map of the TIF redevelopment district.

The mission of the Waukegan Road TIF District is to encourage the redevelopment of certain parcels to a higher and more productive land use and to promote the continued realization of the commercial potential inherent along this heavily traveled business corridor.

Since the creation of the TIF redevelopment district, several lower-tier motels have been replaced with new commercial facilities. The new projects include a Walgreen’s Pharmacy and a Charter One (former St. Paul Federal) Bank. A new McGrath Acura automobile dealership opened in 2003.

The Waukegan Road right-of-way from Dempster to Golf has undergone significant improvements since the creation of the TIF Redevelopment District. These include: the creation of a continuous center turn lane, new street lighting, new landscaping, and new street furniture. Much of this work was funded by federal and state sources due in part to the Village’s commitment to improving the commercial corridor.

The Village continues to pursue the redevelopment of strategic parcels to a higher and more productive land use so that new commercial businesses can be attracted to this area.

The Community & Economic Development and Finance Departments provide oversight of the Waukegan Road Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment District. Click here to see the annual report to the Joint Review Board.

Lehigh-Ferris TIF District
The Lehigh-Ferris Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment District was created in 2000 as a means to promote orderly redevelopment of numerous vacant and underutilized properties near the Metra commuter rail station at Lehigh and Lincoln. This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Morton Grove and includes some of the oldest infrastructure and utilities. The TIF District will expire in 2023. Click here to see a map of the TIF redevelopment district.

The re-development focus includes a mixture of uses including multi-family residential, commercial and public/institutional uses in addition to required infrastructure improvements. Numerous improvements to public and private property that contribute to a vibrant and safe working, living, and shopping environment are anticipated. General redevelopment is guided by the Lehigh/Ferris Subarea Plan that was finalized in October 2002. Click here to view the 2002 sub-area plan.

In 2009, the Village refined the Subarea Plan and approved a Long-Term Framework Plan in January 2009. This conceptual plan was developed over a five-year period with extensive input from professional engineers, architects, planners and Morton Grove residents. This Framework Plan reflects the priorities, restrictions, and general design intentions expressed by Morton Grove’s elected officials, appointed officials and community residents. This document will be used to guide future public infrastructure improvements as well as all future development in the TIF Redevelopment District so that the neighborhood transitions into a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that compliments the surrounding neighborhoods. The Framework Plan consists of two volumes. Click HERE to review Volume 1. Click HERE to review Volume 2.

Several private redevelopment projects have been completed since this district was created while others are under construction at this time. Recent projects include the following:

The Woodlands of Morton Grove – This was the first substantial new project in the Redevelopment District. Consisting of nearly 400 new homes, the development includes four mid-rise condominium buildings and several clustered townhouses arranged around a private driveway and landscaped common areas. The project was developed by the Elliott Group and built by McShane Construction. In 2005, it was recognized as Chicagoland’s Multi-Family Development of the Year. This $110 million project was made possible, in part from a $5 million TIF tax-sharing agreement. This TIF agreement was completed in 2009. Click HERE for more information about available units. Click HERE for information about the association.

Crossings at Morton Grove – This project consists of 64 luxury townhouses being developed by the Toll Brothers, a national homebuilder. Construction of this project began in 2006. Construction is proceeding smoothly with additional units being constructed as they are sold.

Moretti’s Ristorante – This project involves the redevelopment of long vacant, 2 acre parcel of land on the south side of Dempster, just east of the railroad tracks. Ala Carte Entertainment purchased the municipally owned site and began work on minor site remediation work in fall of 2016. The site work was completed and construction on the new 12,000 restaurant was initiated in Spring of 2017. Work is expected to be completed by late 2017 or early 2018 and the restaurant is expected to be open for business February/March 2018. Once fully operating, the development is expected to generate over $120,000 annually in sales and real estate tax revenues.

Lexington Walk (Ferris/Capulina): From 2005 and 2009, the Village acquired this property and demolished the structures. Environmental hazardous conditions remain in the underlying soil which has deterred redevelopment of this site. Lexington Homes, LLC has submitted a proposal to purchase the property and develop a 36-unit townhome community in a total of seven buildings. The Village and Lexington Homes entered into a redevelopment agreement by which they will purchase the property, remediate the site, relocate existing electrical equipment and utilities from a former alley to the public right of way, and redevelopment the site. The Village will provide TIF assistance for extraordinary costs associated with the development – particularly environmental remediation and utility equipment relocation. The development will generate approximately $4.2 million over the next ten years in property taxes, for the benefit of the Village and other taxing bodies.

Several public improvement projects are also anticipated to take place in 2009 and 2010. They include the following:

Lincoln Avenue Streetscaping and Traffic Calming – Roadway improvements are anticipated from School Street to Ferris Avenue in order to beautify the street and improve comfort and safety for pedestrians. Several features will be geared toward reducing vehicle speed along this roadway. Landscape improvements are anticipated at the Fire Station and Public Library.

Ferris Avenue Streetscaping – Similar roadway improvements are anticipated between Dempster Street and Lincoln Avenue. Click HERE to view an overview of these public improvements.

Metra “Railwalk” – A dedicated route for pedestrians and bicyclists is envisioned to connect the Metra station to the bike route & sidewalk at Dempster Street. This “railwalk” will beautify a dusty stretch of Metra’s right-of-way and provide a convenient access route for area residents. Click HERE to see an overview of these public improvements.

Lincoln/Narragansett/Hennings Sewer and Street Improvements – Over the past year, the Village initiated some infrastructure improvements near Lincoln and Narragansett Avenues and Hennings Court. These include the installation of a new sewer line from this area out to the River and the resurfacing of Narragansett Avenue. Both of these improvements should help support current and future redevelopment within this immediate area.

Dempster/Waukegan TIF District
The Dempster/Waukegan Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment District was created in 2012 as a means to promote redevelopment of properties adjacent to and along the intersection of Dempster Street and Waukegan Road. The TIF District will expire in 2035.

The Dempster/Waukegan TIF District comprises approximately 134 acres of land and consists of 55 tax parcels and 24 buildings. The majority of the parcels included in this TIF District are located along Dempster Street between the Village boundary to the west and Cook County Forest Preserve to the east and along Waukegan Road south to the north line of Meadow Lane. The properties within thisTIF District consist largely of commercial, retail, office, and public uses. Click here to see a map of the TIF redevelopment district.

The overall goal of the Dempster/Waukegan Redevelopment Plan is to provide the direction and mechanisms necessary to help transition this area to a vibrant commercial mixed‐use district; to stimulate the redevelopment of vacant, obsolete, ill‐configured and underutilized parcels; and provide new or improved public infrastructure, facilities and utilities. Redevelopment of the properties within the Dempster/Waukegan TIF District will improve the Dempster Street and Waukegan Road commercial corridors and help strengthen the economic base and enhance the quality of life throughout the Village.

Tax Increment Financing Joint Review Board Meetings
State statute requires the Village of Morton Grove to convene a meeting of the Joint Review Board (JRB) to review the Annual Reports for each of the Village’s Tax Increment Financing Districts (TIF). The JRB is made up of a representative from each of the taxing bodies within each TIF District and one member from the public at large.

The annual meeting is typically held in late November or early December. At that meeting, the JRB will review the annual TIF reports and approve minutes of the previous meeting(s). In addition, the JRB members are provided updates on any new newly adopted and/or proposed TIF legislation and on recent TIF projects and/or newly enacted or proposed initiatives.

The JRB meetings are open to the public.

The next JRB Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at 2pm. Click HERE for the Agenda for the next JRB Meeting.